Presidential First Lady. She was born Abigail Powers in rural Saratoga County, New York to a prominent Baptist preacher who died early in her life leaving her mother to fend for herself with two small children. She home schooled Abigail providing her with an excellent education using her dead husband's library of many books. The family was now living in New Hope, New York while Abigail was enrolled in a recently opened academy where Millard Fillmore was also a student. He had little education and was a former indentured servant working in the textile industry. She encouraged him to study law while she began teaching school. She was instrumental in a campaign to raise funds which resulted in the first circulating library in the State of New York. Two years later they were married and she continued working until the birth of their son. Attaining prosperity, Millard became interested in politics. He first became a Congressman, then state comptroller and finally Vice President. With Zachary Taylor's death, the Fillmore's moved into the White House. Abigail realized she lacked social graces, and entrusted many social duties to her attractive daughter, "Abby." The White House had no books, and she established the first library after receiving an appropriation from Congress and personally supervised their selection and purchase. President Millard Fillmore's tenure in the White House was over. At the outdoor inauguration of his successor, President Pierce, Abigail returned to the Willard Hotel chilled, developed pneumonia and died . The House of Representatives and the Senate adjourned and public offices closed in respect. The family took her home to Buffalo and she was interred in the Fillmore family plot in Forest Lawn Cemetery. Today her children, her husband, her mother and her husband's second wife surround her.
Presidential First Lady. She was born Abigail Powers in rural Saratoga County, New York to a prominent Baptist preacher who died early in her life leaving her mother to fend for herself with two small children. She home schooled Abigail providing her with an excellent education using her dead husband's library of many books. The family was now living in New Hope, New York while Abigail was enrolled in a recently opened academy where Millard Fillmore was also a student. He had little education and was a former indentured servant working in the textile industry. She encouraged him to study law while she began teaching school. She was instrumental in a campaign to raise funds which resulted in the first circulating library in the State of New York. Two years later they were married and she continued working until the birth of their son. Attaining prosperity, Millard became interested in politics. He first became a Congressman, then state comptroller and finally Vice President. With Zachary Taylor's death, the Fillmore's moved into the White House. Abigail realized she lacked social graces, and entrusted many social duties to her attractive daughter, "Abby." The White House had no books, and she established the first library after receiving an appropriation from Congress and personally supervised their selection and purchase. President Millard Fillmore's tenure in the White House was over. At the outdoor inauguration of his successor, President Pierce, Abigail returned to the Willard Hotel chilled, developed pneumonia and died . The House of Representatives and the Senate adjourned and public offices closed in respect. The family took her home to Buffalo and she was interred in the Fillmore family plot in Forest Lawn Cemetery. Today her children, her husband, her mother and her husband's second wife surround her.
Bio by: Donald Greyfield
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